Basket



Mum 31. 1925.

R.- P. MERCER' Ala'r AL BASKET Filed March '18, 1924 INVENTORS )ZP /Veree 7 WWII/111171111421 7T zugel ATTORNY.

Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH r. MERCER Ann OR-T T; FAU'sEL, or BURLINGTON, TOWA.

BASKET.

Application filed March 18, 1924. Serial No. 7,078.

To @ZZ whom t may conc-em: n

Be it known that we, RALPH PAL MERCER and ORT TAYLOR FAUsRL, citizens. of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Baskets, of which the following is a specifica-tion, reference. being had tothe accompanying drawings. p l

This invention relates to certain improvements in baskets and has relation more particularly to` a device of this generalcliaracter especially designed andadap'ted for use by auto tourists and the like and is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved basket providing means for readily and conveniently transporting provender, cooking utensils and the like.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this character affording a refrigerating compartment having suitable drainage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device of this general character' adapted to be supported on the running board of an automobile or the like and which is constructed in such a manner as to possess suflicient strength to serve as a step or as a support for other luggage.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of our improved basket whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and Otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of our invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that our invention may be the better understood, we will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a view in elevation illustrating a basket constructed in accordance with an embodiment of our invention and mounted on the running board of an automobile;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken longitudinally through the basket as herein disclosed;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Figure 2'.y

As disclosed in the accompanying-drawings, our improved basket comprisesvv an elongated bottom panel l of wood or other suitable materialv andwliichhas secured to its edges atspaced l'points therearound the upstanding members 2', the lower extremit-ies of which being nailed or otherwise secured to the body l, as at 3. Interwoven with the members 2 are the flexible strips 4 whereby is provided the side walls for the basket. The upper edges of the members 2 extendy between and are secured, as at 5, with the inner and o'uter rim members 6.

A top or cover panel 7 is adapted to be disposed over the,y upper or open face ofthe basket and secured to the under face of the panel' 7 are the transversely disposed cleats or strips 8, said cleats terminating inwardly of the opposite sideI margins of the panel 7 and fitting substantially snug within the upper portion of the basket whereby maintenance of'tlre4 top or cover7 iirapplied posi'- tion is facilitated.

A marginal portion of the top or cover panel 7 however is hingedly connected, as indicated at 9, to a side wall of the basket B as is particularly illustrated in Figure 8.

The structure of the basket is sucl'i, and especially through the instrumentality of the members 2, to aiford great strength whereby the basket with its applied lid or cover panel 7 may be employed as desired, such as a step. v

Interwoven with the strips 4 are the flexible members or straps 10, two of said straps being' associated with cach side wall of the to the opposite ends thereof. Each of the basket B and in relatively close proximity 95 straps l() carried by one side wall of the basket is substantially in transverse alignment with a strap carried by the opposite side so that the extremities of said straps or members 10 may be disposed over the applied 100 lid or cover panel 7 and coupled by a buckle l1 or the like to effectively maintain the lid or cover panel 7 in closed position.

At a point in relatively close proximity to one end of the basket B is disposed a trans- 105 verse partition l2 providing a compartment in which is adapted to be inserted a container 14 preferably of metal. Interposed between the` walls of said container 14, the n partition 1Q, the adjacent end of the basket, im

and the bottom of the basket is a filler 15 of suitable linsulating material. The container 14 has its top or open end terminating below the top or open face of the basket B and coacting with said upper or open face of the container 14 is a closure member or lid 16 herein disclosed as of av slip type. The container 14 is adapted to hold a suitable refrigerating medium preferably ice, so that perishable articles of food or beverages may be readily and conveniently transported.

In communication with the container 14 through the bottom thereof is a draining vent or tube 17 which is also disposed through the bottom panel 1 of the basket so that as the ice melts the water may readily discharge from said container.

The upper portion of each of' the flexible members or straps 10 is disposed through a loop 18 carried by an outer rim 6 as is clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 and it is also to be understood that the lower end portion of each of the exible members or straps 10 is anchored to the bottom panel 1 by a nail 3 or the like.

The main or larger chamber of the basket B is adapted to contain suitable provender together with desired cooking and eating utensils. In practice, it is preferred that the main or larger chamber of the basket be provided with a lining but as this in itself forms no part of the present invention it is believed that a detailed description and illustration thereof is unnecessary.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a basket constructedin accordance with our invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that our invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out our invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

We claim A basket of the class described comprising a bottom panel, uprights carried by the margins of said panel, strips interwoven with said uprights to provide the side walls of the basket, a lid for the basket, flexible members interwoven with the first named members and having end portions adapted to be disposed over the lid when in applied position, and means for connecting said flexible members to hold the lid in applied position.

In testimony whereof we hereuntok aix our signatures.

RALPH l?. MERCER. ORT T. FAUSEL. 

